Senate ratifies overseas absentee voting amendment

by Ryan Chua, ABS-CBN News

MANILA, Philippines - The Senate on Tuesday ratified the final version of a bill amending the Overseas Absentee Voting Act.

Senate electoral reforms committee chairman Aquilino Pimentel III announced during session that once the measure is signed into law, overseas Filipinos who want to register as voters no longer have to execute an affidavit stating that they will return to the country within three years.

The bill also institutionalizes the overseas voting system by creating an office exclusively for it within the Commission on Elections.

Aside from these, the measure prohibits candidates from campaigning in countries where there are Filipinos during the 30-day overseas absentee voting period.